How to fix 'Out of Memory' errors and browser tab crashes

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix 'Out of Memory' errors and browser tab crashes. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

An 'Out of Memory' error occurs when your computer applications request more Random Access Memory (RAM) than the system has available. This is common for small business users who keep dozens of browser tabs open while running resource-heavy software. When RAM is exhausted, your browser may crash, tabs may refresh automatically, or your entire computer may run slow.

Quick Fix Steps

Before diving into deep settings, try these immediate actions to clear your system memory:

• Restart your browser: Completely close the browser and relaunch it to clear cached memory leaks.
• Close unused tabs: Every open tab consumes RAM. Close anything you aren't actively using.
• Reboot your computer: A full restart flushes the RAM and stops background processes that may be hanging.
• Check for updates: Ensure your OS and browser are updated to the latest version to benefit from memory management patches.

Detailed Instructions

Managing Browser Memory (Google Chrome & Microsoft Edge)

Modern browsers are often the primary cause of memory exhaustion. Follow these steps to optimise performance:

1. Enable Memory Saver:
   • Go to Settings > Performance.
   • Toggle Memory Saver to On. This frees up memory from tabs you aren't using.
2. Use the Browser Task Manager:
   • Press Shift + Esc (Windows) or go to More Tools > Task Manager.
   • Identify which specific tab or extension is consuming the most memory.
   • Select the process and click End Process.
3. Audit Extensions:
   • Navigate to chrome://extensions or edge://extensions.
   • Disable or remove any extensions you no longer use, as these run in the background.

Windows Memory Management

If you are experiencing applications freezing or crashing across your entire system, check your Windows resource allocation:

1. Check Task Manager:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • Click the Performance tab and select Memory.
   • Analyse the 'In use' vs 'Available' memory. If 'In use' is consistently above 90%, you are hitting your hardware limit.
2. Disable Startup Apps:
   • In Task Manager, click the Startup apps tab.
   • Right-click non-essential applications (e.g., Spotify, Cortana, Steam) and select Disable.
3. Adjust Virtual Memory (Page File):
   • Search for View advanced system settings in the Start menu.
   • Under the Advanced tab, in the Performance section, click Settings.
   • Go to the Advanced tab and click Change under Virtual Memory.
   • Ensure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked.

Troubleshooting Persistent Crashes

Identifying Memory Leaks

A memory leak occurs when a program fails to release RAM after it is no longer needed. If you notice your memory usage steadily climbing even when you aren't doing anything, a specific app is likely leaking memory.

• Open Task Manager and sort the Processes list by Memory (descending).
• If a single application is using several gigabytes of RAM unexpectedly, try reinstalling that specific software.

Network-Related Memory Issues

In some cases, if your browser is not loading pages and reporting memory errors, it may be due to a corrupted browser cache.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy and security.
2. Select Clear browsing data.
3. Select Cached images and files and click Clear data.

If you have followed these steps and are still experiencing frequent crashes, please Open a Ticket so our technicians can analyse your system logs and determine if a hardware RAM upgrade is required for your organisation.

Still Having Issues?